Contents

Get in

By plane

Koblenz is located within one hour travelling time of three major German airports:

Frankfurt, which is a main European hub and home of Lufthansa (rates will be comparably expensive),

Frankfurt-Hahn, which is a hub of the low-cost airline Ryanair and Wizz Air, Pegasus Airlines, Blue Air, & Iceland Express.

Cologne, which is served by major airlines and low-cost carriers as HLX, Germanwings, EasyJet.

By train

Koblenz can easily be reached by train, for example from the Frankfurt/Mainz area, Cologne area or Trier. These towns are one to two hours away and connections run from early in the morning till late night.

By car

Three German motorways lead to Koblenz: A3, A48 and A61. Parking in the center of Koblenz is sometimes restricted according to time. Park and ride is available. The train station has a parking garage, as does the Löhr Center. Pay attention to closing times at the Löhr Center parking garage: it closes shortly after the shops, typically catching at least a few tourists unaware.

By bus

Many bus companies offer trips to Koblenz for one or more days.

Get around

Buses leave from the central train station (usually between 5:30 and 23:00) and will take you to most parts of Koblenz. The city itself is quite small and easily accessible on foot.

You can reach Festung Ehrenbreitstein by taxi, bus, or by taking a ferry across the Rhine River and walking up the walled access road to the fortress. You can also ride a chairlift (Sesselbahn) to the top of the fortress.

Deutsches Eck: Moselle and Rhein

See

Deutsches Eck. This spot (the name means German Corner in German) is where the Mosel River meets the Rhein River. The tip of the park is shaped like a ship's prow, overlooked by an enormous equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm mounted on an equally-huge stone base that you can climb for a great view of the rivers and opposite shore castle/fort. Not far from the German Corner, you can catch a little sightseeing train which will drive around & point out some of the interesting things about Koblenz.

Festung Ehrenbreitstein(Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz) – This is a big military castle/fort in good condition. From there you have a good view over Koblenz (entry fee about €2). There is also one of the museum of Koblenz. It is located on the other side of the Rhine.

Militär Museum. This is a big military museum. It is located on the other side of the Mosel. In the past Koblenz was an important strategic military area. On every side of the rivers were military castles/forts. Rivers were the most important logistic routes until the 20th century. Their possession could decide who won or lost a war.

Schängel-Brunnen. This is a nice little fountain near the town hall. You should stand three steps in front of the fountain and in front of the figure's face. Wait there three minutes. What then happens should bring fortune.

City Sculptures. Koblenz has a number of whimsical sculptures and fountains scattered throughout the city. Look for them as you walk around, and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Do

On the second weekend in August, watch "Rhein in Flammen" (Rhein in Flames). During that weekend there are concerts at Deutsches Eck, with a big fireworks display on Saturday evening. The history for this event is that the Germans sent burning ships down the Rhine and confused the Roman troops. So they broke through the "limes", a wall which protected the Romans from the uncivilized wild Germans.

In September is the "Nacht der Museen" (Night of Museums). Special buses run between museums and other points of interest, which are open till midnight. Ticket for entrance and bus is about €16.

Boating trips on the Rhine are famous. There are castles and vineyards to see.

Koblenz has a classical theater. In Germany, men wear suits and women wear gowns when going to a classic theatre.

Eat

Drink

Koblenz is located in the wine area of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, mostly known for dry white wines, but also producing dry red wines, and in Germany, trying the beer is also a must. Southern and northern German beers differ in the proportion of hops and malt. More hops makes the beer more bitter, and this region is known for a higher percentage of hops. "Königsbacher" is one local brewery.

Sleep

Rhein-Hotel Diehl's Terrassen[4] is situated directly at the Rhine, below the Ehrenbreitstein castle/fort, with a view of the Deutsches Eck from every room. 4-star, but unfortunately only a few metres from a busy railway.

Youth Hostel - map - located in the fortress "Festung Ehrenbreitstein". From there you have a nice view over Koblenz.

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